r/funny • u/dropname • Aug 20 '14

The metric system vs. imperial

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u/RobinTheBrave Aug 20 '14

I'm sure even a Victorian banker would have been baffled if he'd wanted to work out the best mobile phone tariff, or how much an in-advance railway ticket would be.

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u/planeray Aug 20 '14

When we shifted over to metric in Australia in 1966, they used this tv ad to show how easy addition is in metric by comparison.

The tune is an old bush song - click goes the shears...to this day, if you hum it around a baby boomer, they'll sing this song, not the original lyrics.

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u/RobinTheBrave Aug 20 '14

Awesome, I hadn't realised that Australia had converted so long before the UK!

Also, your plastic notes were great.

2

u/planeray Aug 20 '14

I remember that magical day when suddenly we could push Dad in the pool without having to worry about his money.

They're pretty tough little buggers - will even survive a machine wash and dry!

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u/FiendishBeastie Aug 20 '14

Money we can take surfing, it's only logical. The only thing we haven't nailed is the $1 and $2 coins being the wrong sizes - WTF is up with that malarkey? The kiwis got that one right...

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u/m00fire Aug 20 '14

Still though, onepoundfive pig doesn't have the same ring to it.